Addressing gender inequity from a feminist perspective underpins all the work that Women’s Health in the South East undertakes.
Gender and Health
Gender and health are two strongly entwined constructs.
Unequal power and unequal status across genders are a root cause for the inequalities faced by women and girls across their lives.
Health outcomes and experiences for women (and men) continue to be profoundly shaped by sex (biological) and gender (social) and often reflect broader gender inequalities in society. Gender inequality and the imbalance of power in relationships impacts on social, emotional, economic and health outcomes for women.
Australian Women’s Health Network (2019)
The Victorian Government’s Gender Equality Strategy, Our Equal State, recognises that that gender is a core determinant of health.
The strategy states that women and gender diverse people often face barriers to accessing health services that relate to cost, distance, culturally appropriate practice and the services that are available. Aboriginal women experience these barriers more, as do women living with a disability, migrant and multicultural women, women in regional and rural areas, and LGBTIQ+ communities. Many people also do not get the care they need because some services lack cultural safety, sensitivity and responsiveness.
An overlapping and intersecting range of factors impact on women’s health. It is not possible to isolate one risk factor without reducing our understanding and appreciation of the other connected issues.
Gender Responsive Budgeting Unit
The 2021-22 Victorian State Budget announced plans to establish a gender responsive budgeting unit within the Department of Treasury and Finance. This unit will ensure a gender impact analysis is applied during the government’s budget decision-making process.
Rather than conducting a hindsight gender breakdown of the budget, women will be deliberately measured during all budget decisions. This is a critical and exciting step in ensuring the Victorian Government are aware of how their decisions effect women and men differently.
Gender responsive budgeting will help ensure that Government investment helps address and advance women’s needs and aspirations. That means:
- Greater investment to support gender equality.
- More targeted policies that consider the needs of all Victorians.
- Services that are better targeted to the needs of women.
- Increased transparency and accountability across government.
